


I Just Might Die (With A Smile On My Face)

by Imagined



Series: Even Thicker Than Blood [3]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Family Feels, Fluff, Kid Fic, Light Angst, M/M, Not Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie) Compliant, POV Tony Stark, Parent Loki (Marvel), Parent Tony Stark, Parent-Child Relationship, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Tony Stark Has A Heart, loki is a good dad he's just a bit out of practice, tony is a bit of a mess but that's ok, tony tries to be a supportive co-dad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-17
Updated: 2018-11-17
Packaged: 2019-08-24 22:45:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,957
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16649278
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Imagined/pseuds/Imagined
Summary: It’s not easy being Tony. Especially not when your god lover’s twin sons appear in your home with nowhere else to go. Loki gets used to being a father again, while Tony gets used to the new additions to his makeshift family. Nothing is ever as easy as it seems, but the very least he can do is make sure Narvi and Vali have a home.





	I Just Might Die (With A Smile On My Face)

**Author's Note:**

> Title taken from The Smiths' _That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore_

‘’Question for a question?’’ Tony says, looking intently at Loki over the rig of his mug.

‘’I’m not in the mood,’’ Loki mutters darkly. He’s not looking at Tony, but staring at the two dark-haired children sleeping peacefully on Tony’s couch.

‘’Fine,’’ Tony agrees, not showing the hurt he feels at Loki’s words. Their little game had to end somewhere, but Tony enjoys the way it meant opening up to each other, an unspoken promise to be honest in the middle of the night when the rest of the world slumbers. ‘’Then let me just ask very plainly. What the actual fuck, Loki?’’

‘’Don’t try that with me,’’ Loki sneers at him. ‘’How am I supposed to know? If anyone should answer that question, it’s Heimdall.’’

The Asgardian in the corner shuffles. Peter and Bruce are still there, looking at the children, but not making any move. ‘’They weren’t here one moment, and then they were,’’ Heimdall simply says. ‘’Anything else considering your sons has been blocked from my view.’’

‘’That can only mean one thing,’’ Thor says plainly. ‘’Magic.’’

‘’Which means another thing,’’ Loki adds, and his finger tap the table in that way he does when he’s thinking. Tony would think it’s adorable if the situation wasn’t quite as serious. ‘’Sigyn.’’

‘’Who is Sigyn?’’ Tony asks, and it’s not unreasonable to ask, considering he’s going to have to take care of these children – Loki’s children. He doesn’t mind, but he wants to know what’s happening. 

‘’Their mother,’’ Loki answers and he sounds annoyed to be explaining this all. ‘’My ex-wife. We divorced when Vali and Narvi were still very young, and she hasn’t let me see them ever since. It was a marriage of convenience, and we parted rather amicably, all things considered. Still, she refused to let me be part of her life any longer, or our sons’.’’

Tony doesn’t ask the obvious question, but Peter does, his eyes still focused on the children. ‘’So why are they here?’’ he asks, wringing his hands. 

It’s suddenly too much, and Tony stands up. All eyes focus on him, and that’s better than the endless staring at Loki and his sons. ‘’Okay, that’s the show for tonight,’’ he declares. ‘’These are two sleeping kids, and we don’t want to wake them. Everyone, get out and go to bed or something. Yes, I’m watching you, Pete. Loki and I will take care of the kids for now, and we’ll talk about it tomorrow.’’

‘’I’ll just go home,’’ Peter mutters. ‘’May is probably wondering where I am, anyway.’’

‘’I’m their uncle,’’ Thor protests, and Tony feels like a fussy overprotective mother as he crosses his arms.

‘’And Loki is a father who hasn’t seen his sons in years,’’ he says. ‘’Give him some time. The kids will still be there tomorrow.’’

Well, probably. Tony doesn’t know much about magic, and he wouldn’t know how it works. Everyone accepts his reasoning, though, and slowly the room empties, leaving Tony and Loki with the two children. It’s a wonder they didn’t wake up with all the noise.

Loki’s shoulders sag, and he leaves his chair to crouch in front of his sons. ‘’Thank you, Tony,’’ the god murmurs. Tony’s heart feels a bit lighter immediately.

‘’Don’t worry about it,’’ he answers easily. ‘’Do you want me to leave, or…’’ he does not finish the sentence, trailing off as he stares at Loki, who carefully brushes the hair out of the face of one of his sons. Tony doesn’t know which one is which, yet – they seem awfully alike, anyway. Twins, Tony thinks, and reflects wryly on how little he knows about Loki’s life.

‘’Stay,’’ Loki says unexpectedly. ‘’Come. Look at them. I haven’t seen them in close to twenty years. They’ve grown up so fast.’’

Tony blinks. ‘’They’re twenty?’’ he asks. The two boys in front of him seem to be no more than eight, but then, Tony isn’t very good at knowing the age of children by looking at them. They’re definitely not older than twelve, though, that’s for sure.

Loki turns his gaze towards him for just a second. ‘’Twenty-two,’’ he answers. ‘’Immortal children do not age like the children of men, Tony. It’s slower, but only a bit. They’re still very much young children, and they’re _mine_. I didn’t think I’d ever see them again after the day Sigyn left for Alfheim.’’

‘’Why did she leave?’’ Tony asks silently, as he looks at the children.

‘’Question for a question, if you still want it,’’ Loki says, and Tony accepts the apology for what it is as he nods. Loki continues. ‘’Sigyn and I’s marriage was to ensure loyalty between Alfheim and Asgard in what was perceived as a… shaky period. She was comely, and had her wits about her, so I agreed. If nothing else, the marriage offered me a more loyal friendship than any I’d had so far, I believed, and someone to warm my bed at a time Odin was very annoyed by my habits in that regard. Sigyn and I lasted for five years, which was long enough for the unstable period to end and an eternal peace to have been declared. Of course, a peace like that has been announced often enough, and eternal often means ‘until war comes’. Asgard trusted it enough, though. After having been married for three years, she bore me my two sons – Vali and Narvi. I’ve – it’s been… I’m sorry, Tony.’’

‘’Hey, don’t apologize,’’ Tony says, leaning against Loki. ‘’It was hard, I’d guess? Losing them?’’

Loki nods wordlessly. ‘’Sigyn and I had a good marriage, and it was my fault it ended. I was bored, and I cheated on her. She found out, but she didn’t make a fuss. She did, however, leave. Sigyn disbanded our marriage, collected her belongings, and took Narvi and Vali, making it very clear that I was to no longer be a part of her life. I haven’t spoken to her since, nor seen my boys. I do not think they even remember me.’’

‘’Well, they’re here now,’’ Tony says, laying a hand on Loki’s pale arm. 

‘’What would you think of it?’’ Loki asks, his voice tender and soft as he regards Tony. ‘’What would you do if they stayed?’’

This is the question for a question, Tony can feel it, and his answer matters. He looks at the two children, for a moment, Vali and Narvi – Loki’s blood. Their dark hair and pale skin mirrors Loki’s own, but in the dark, it’s hard to see how much they are like their father in other regards. No matter what, though, they’re Loki’s children, and Tony isn’t going to turn them away.

‘’If Vali and Narvi stay,’’ Tony starts thoughtfully, ‘’we’ll have to make sure they have a legit identification here on Earth. I can make that happen without too many questions. We’ll have to get them a room, and find out if they’re in any danger from whatever the reason is that they’re here. We’ll have to figure out what happened to Sigyn, obviously. We’ll have to teach them Earth protocol, that’s for certain, and we definitely need to find a way to keep them out of the media without locking them up in the Tower. There’s lots of things to be taken into account; diet, babysitters, education, all of the basic living arrangement. I mean, most if it I can –‘’

‘’You’ll let them stay?’’ Loki interrupts him. Tony turns to him a bit bewildered.

‘’Of course I’ll let them stay,’’ Tony says. ‘’There’s a lot of implications to ‘staying’, though, you have to understand that. We really need to talk to them.’’

‘’Let them rest,’’ Loki says, and brushes the hair away from one of his children’s faces. ‘’No danger is coming, Heimdall would know.’’

‘’Like he knew the kids were here?’’ Tony reasons. ‘’Loki, you know that’s –‘’

‘’Let them,’’ Loki says, more sharply. ‘’The dark of night is no good time for such tales, Tony. You should go to bed.’’

‘’I take it you’re not going to join me?’’ Tony says lightly.

Loki just shakes his head, still looking at his children as if he doesn’t quite believe they’re here. Tony sighs, not surprised but still not looking forward to spending a night alone. It’s understandable, though, and he won’t argue it any further.

As silent as he can be, he creeps out of the room and goes to bed. It takes him a long while to fall asleep.

~*~

Tony wakes up to the sun shining on his face, and an alarm beeping. ‘’Turn that off,’’ he moans, and FRIDAY dutifully obliges.

‘’Good morning,’’ she says far too cheerfully. ‘’It’s 8:46 in the morning. You have thirty-two unread emails, of which there are three priorities. Also, Loki’s children are awake.’’

Tony shoots up. ‘’You might’ve led with that,’’ he says, glancing at the empty spot in the bed next to him. He gets dressed as quickly as he can – Loki’s children are merely children, but still, Tony wants to look somewhat decent before meeting them. Damn it, he’s meeting Loki’s children, and he’s entirely sure that he’s not up for it. He knows how he feels about Loki, but meeting the kids is huge – it is definitely a bigger step than meeting the parents, which means it’s a step that Tony has never actually taken before.

Thank God (or whoever’s out there, it’s not as if Tony knows anymore) that meeting the parents is a thing neither of them have to do in this relationship. Tony can’t handle anymore Asgardian gods in his home, and that’s saying a lot considering he is housing all of Asgard already.

Well. Maybe he can handle two small kids. After all, they’re Loki’s, and he knows how much Loki has missed them, even if his lover hasn’t talked about them much. With a sigh, he decides to stop loitering and makes his way to the kitchen, as FRIDAY cheerfully informs him that the happy family is having breakfast.

Loki’s eyes are both too dark and bright when he enters, fixed on his sons. He doesn’t even look up to see Tony come in, not that Tony can blame him. ‘’Good morning,’’ he says. In contrast to their father, the two boys do look up.

They’re very different awake than they were asleep, and Tony is a bit stunned to see the eager liveliness in them. Identical twins, they are, and they regard him with light brown eyes that don’t resemble Loki’s green ones. He absentmindedly realizes they must’ve gotten them from their mother’s side, but before the thought really registers, he examines them further. Their outfits are distinctly Asgardian, not unlike what Thor and Loki used to wear, and their hair is longer than a human boy’s would be. They don’t look alien to him, though; they look like two boys dressed up for a medieval party – without the fake swords, at least – and… rather small. Vulnerable.

‘’Hi,’’ one of the two says, and Tony has absolutely no idea which one of the two it is. Loki’s eyes flit to his son, and he goes to stand beside him, laying a hand the shoulder of the kid that spoke up.

‘’I’m Tony,’’ he says, trying for a kind smile. He has been fooling the press with them for years upon years, but kids have a habit of knowing whether smiles are genuine or not. And he does mean it – he wants these children to feel safe and welcome. Even if they’ve uprooted his life a bit.

One of the boys turns to Loki. ‘’Is this the mortal you told us about, father?’’ he says, blinking innocently. 

There’s not quite a smile on Loki’s face, but it’s not quite anything else either. ‘’Yes,’’ he merely says. ‘’He is.’’

The boy nods, and turns back to Tony. ‘’I’m Narvi,’’ he says fiercely, as if he’s daring Tony to disagree. ‘’And this is my brother, Vali.’’ Vali nods, his eyes not leaving Tony’s face. Neither do Narvi’s, for that matter.

‘’I’m very happy to meet you,’’ Tony says, taking a step closer and crouching in front of them. From a safe distance, of course – he doesn’t want to spook them. ‘’I hope you’ll enjoy the Tower. I’ve got a lot of things you might enjoy – all kinds of games, at least. If that’s what Asgardian kids are into these days, at least. I wouldn’t be able to tell.’’

Narvi’s lips tilt, and he looks a lot like Loki when he does that. ‘’We’re not Asgardian,’’ he says. ‘’We’re from Alfheim.’’

Tony raises his eyebrows. ‘’That’s true,’’ he admits, ‘’but your dad is from Asgard, right? So that makes you at least a little Asgardian.’’

Narvi’s gaze goes pensive, and then he shrugs, going back to his plate. Loki’s made some omelettes, he sees, both of the boys picking at the meal uncertainly. Perhaps they don’t have eggs in Alfheim. Tony would hardly know. It’s a feeling he’s quickly getting used to.

‘’Tony, I need to talk with you,’’ Loki announces, and moves away from his twin boys. ‘’I’ll be back soon, Narvi and Vali.’’

The boys do not answer, and Tony follows Loki out of the room. ‘’Did you talk to them?’’ Tony asks, and Loki does not turn to him. Instead, he looks at the wall, and Tony walks around to him. Loki’s face is paler than usual, and his shoulders sag. ‘’Hey, Loki? Are you alright?’’

‘’I do not think Sigyn lives,’’ Loki whispers. His expression does not change, but there is a darkness in his eyes that pulls at Tony. He leans against Loki, in turn letting the god lean against him, and they breathe together for a while. 

Tony takes Loki’s hands, after a while, taking a step back so he can look over his lover a bit better. ‘’What did they say?’’

‘’Not a lot,’’ Loki says, his eyes wandering back to the door that leads to the kitchen. ‘’I do not believe they know the circumstances either. Vali has not said a word since he has woken up, and Narvi only knows that their mother was in distress. She woke them in the middle of the night, and said they needed to leave. I think she is in danger – and for all of Sigyn’s qualities, she is hardly a warrior.’’

‘’We can’t make any assumptions yet,’’ Tony says, pinching Loki’s hands resolutely. ‘’Maybe she’s fine. We don’t know, that’s the point.’’

Loki’s eyes still don’t meet his own. He’s quiet for a long while, but speaks just as Tony wants to suggest they go back. ‘’I know it is little to go on,’’ he agrees, his voice low, ‘’but I can feel it. Sigyn would not part with our sons unless she feared for their lives, and she would not send them to me if she had someone in her own family left to raise them. Tragedy must have befallen Alfheim, I am certain of it.’’

Tony can’t argue with him, not when Loki is so sure he’s right. Besides, it’s a delicate situation either way. If Sigyn is not coming back, the kids will have to stay here. But if she _is_ , other questions arise. Tony doesn’t even want to think about the mother coming back to pick up her sons – what would that do to Loki? He has only just found his children, and it didn’t seem like they remembered that much of him. That, in turn, brings with it lots of difficulties.

‘’We can’t do much about that now,’’ he eventually says. ‘’We’re going to have to talk with Thor and Heimdall, I bet. Just make sure the kids are settled for now, that they know they’re safe. Everything else can come later.’’

Loki smiles, and moves to kiss him. It’s a bit unexpected, but Tony doesn’t mind the softness of Loki’s embrace, or the pressure of his lips against his own. ‘’When did you grow to be such a comfort to me?’’ Loki whispers against his lips.

Tony shrugs, pressing a last kiss to Loki’s lips before leaning back. ‘’Probably during coffee dates in the dark,’’ he says, only half-serious. ‘’I’m serious, Loki. It’s going to be fine, we’re going to take care of all of it. Whatever happens.’’

Loki nods, once, before disappearing through the door again. Tony does not follow him; it’s probably best to give the two boys some time to get used to their father and this new planet. He doesn’t want to come in between, not at first. There’s dozens of other things to do, such as making sure the kids get legal identification, and making bedrooms for them somewhere near his and Loki’s, and getting them all the other stuff children need. He’s not very knowledgeable about kids, anyway – people joke about him being such a dad, but he only met Peter when his protégée was a teenager. Loki, probably, doesn’t know much either, especially not about Earthly kinds of kid stuff. He thinks about what the Asgardian – _any_ Asgardians, really – would say about proper toys for small children, and grimaces when the images of shields and blunt swords pop up in his mind. 

Best not to ask them for help, probably. He knows who he _can_ call, though. He picks up his phone, leisurely scrolling through his contacts before he finds the right one. It only rings three times before the person on the other side of the line picks up.

‘’Hey, May? No, I’m not calling for Peter. I need your help, actually.’’

~*~

Pepper is tapping with her heels, and that means she’s thinking. Tony knows better than to interrupt her. He hates that he keeps dragging her into these things, but she knows the bigger picture a lot better than he does, and he needs her. For her part, Pepper doesn’t seem to mind. Her hair is as immaculate as ever, her skin unblemished and her eyes bright. Tony knows she isn’t as tranquil as she seems, but it always works on the shareholders. He can see the bitten nails, and the hint of tiredness in her eyes, and how her lower lip is red and broken from the way she bites on it. He only knows the signs because he knows her so well, better than anyone – and she’s here because she knows him just as much.

It doesn’t make it any easier. If anything, it only makes matters harder.

‘’Are you sure you’re up for this?’’ she asks eventually. There’s a few papers lying in front of her, and Tony knows they’re waiting for his signature. ‘’You don’t know these kids, Tony. You barely know anything about them. If you sign this, you’re fully responsible for them.’’

‘’No, Loki is,’’ Tony says.

Her eyebrows rise. ‘’You’re responsible for Loki,’’ she says, and perhaps knowing that Tony is going to respond to that, she goes on immediately. ‘’You know what I mean. _Legally_ responsible. Seems like you’re investing an awful lot in him for a man you’ve been dating for so short a time, Tony.’’

‘’I know,’’ he says, leaning back in his chair, and looking outside. They’re high up in the tower, and all the people walking outside are too small to make out. The world is going on, there, and Tony wishes he could see the persons walking. When he looks back at Pepper, she’s still staring wordlessly at him, and he sighs. ‘’What other options do I have, Pep? They’re Loki’s kids. They are probably here to stay. The only thing I can give them is the same immunity all other Asgardians have been granted.’’

‘’There’s going to be some fallout, in any way at all,’’ Pepper says. ‘’Tony, I know you think you’re doing the right thing. I know you want to help Thor and Loki. But have you ever considered it’s not your job to help them with every single thing? The Asgardians aren’t meant to stay here, this was supposed to be a temporary solution. I haven’t heard anyone talk about when they’re leaving, though, and in the meanwhile you carry full responsibility for all of them – you, not Thor. Now you want to take in Loki’s kids. What if they leave, Tony? Is going Loki to go with them? Are _you_?’’

‘’I don’t know,’’ Tony shouts, standing up. ‘’What am I _supposed_ to do? Give up on them? Throw them out on the streets? This is my _family_ now, Pepper. Loki is, and his kids are part of that deal. I don’t mind kids!’’

‘’Did you ever _want_ kids?’’ she responds, standing up as well. ‘’Did you ever want any of this? Say you do, and I’ll back off, I swear I will. But honestly, to me it looks like you’re jumping into decisions without ever thinking about if it’s what you want!’’

‘’I don’t get to decide that! It doesn’t matter about what I want, it’s about Loki!’’

‘’Loki is not the _only_ one you have!’’

They’re silent for a while, looking at each other. Pepper looks apologetic for her outburst, but she doesn’t take back her words. Tony doesn’t want her to; she means what she says. He can always count on Pepper to be honest with him, at least. Her eyes grow softer, as Tony sits down again with a tired and barely supressed sigh.

‘’Don’t I?’’ he mutters quietly. ‘’I haven’t seen Rhodey in ages. I only call you up when I need you to deal with matters like these, and you barely have time for _that_ , anymore. Bruce spends most of his time with Valkyrie, and Thor is – I don’t know, figuring out stuff with Heimdall, I think. Peter’s a kid, with an actual family and a life, and it’s not fair to expect him to cater to my whims. I love Loki, Pepper. And I think he loves me back – I really do. And I’m not sure where these kids fit in, but I’ll be damned if I don’t try to make it work. I _know_ I’m not alone. It just – it would be nice if it didn’t feel like it, sometimes.’’

Pepper hugs him, and it’s awkward because he’s sitting and she’s standing, but Tony buries his head in her neck and lets her comfort him. She still smells of the same perfume as she did when they were dating, and she’s still there, but it’s different now. She holds him tightly, and stoops down so that hugging becomes easier, and they sit there for a long time.

‘’I don’t want anyone else to break your heart,’’ she says, and it’s too much and not enough.

Tony closes his eyes. ‘’Me neither,’’ he answers, and thinks he doesn’t have a choice either way.

~*~

Some moments, Tony thinks he has found a family. He has Loki, and Peter, and Bruce. Thor is as good a friend as ever, and he has found somewhat of a drinking buddy in Valkyrie. Pepper and Rhodey are always there if he needs them, and even Vision has somewhat of an unexpected part in Tony’s life. He hasn’t needed the Avengers for a long time, but it was – well, easier, maybe. 

Other moments, Tony can see it all crashing down around him.

After his conversation with Pepper, he comes home (is the tower home? Does it matter that every other place he’s ever dared to call home has always become something else in the end?) and sits down without a word. He does not know where anyone is, save for Peter, who’s spending time with his aunt. 

He has never stopped to think about the repercussions of Loki’s kids being here to stay – not beside what he needed to make sure they _could_. He knows how he feels about Loki, but it’s true that they haven’t been together for a very long time yet. Tony barely knows how to call Loki, and he’s not certain he wants to ask. There’s – well, he knows there’s love. From his side of the equation, at least.

He doesn’t know if that’s enough, though.

He doesn’t realize he’s fallen asleep until he is woken up by a child sitting down next to him on the couch. It’s not as if he wakes up very suddenly; he opens his eyes, which is the only reason he knows that they were closed at all.

The child regards him curiously, and Tony doesn’t know whether it’s Vali or Narvi.

‘’Hi,’’ he says lamely. He doesn’t know what else to say.

‘’Hi,’’ the child mirrors. It must be Narvi, then; Tony remembers Loki saying that Vali doesn’t speak. Hasn’t spoken, yet, at least. Tony tries for a smile.

‘’Are you tired?’’ the child asks him, brown eyes peering up at him. Tony remembers thinking they didn’t look like Loki’s eyes, but the penetrating gaze reminds him of their father nonetheless. Loki has that way of looking at people, as if he’s looking directly into their souls. 

Tony shrugs. ‘’Yes,’’ he says simply. It’s an easy question, really.

‘’I woke you up,’’ Narvi continues. It’s not really a question, nor an apology.

Tony manages to smile, this time. ‘’That’s alright,’’ he says. ‘’You’re allowed to wake me up, okay? That can be our deal. Don’t make use of it too much, though, or I’ll fall over right where I stand.’’

The kid regards him some more. Tony wonders if there’s something on his face. ‘’So what do you get?’’

‘’What?’’

‘’If it’s a deal. Then you should get something too. I don’t really have anything, anymore.’’

Tony’s heart aches, but the child doesn’t seem very bothered. Mostly intrigued, really, so Tony determines not to make a big deal out of it. ‘’Well, maybe I can get to talk to you? We don’t know each other very well, after all. And you’re important to Loki, so that means you’re important to me.’’

He remembers May’s advice, when he’d spoken to her on the phone. She had made it look really simple; just talk to them, figure out what they like. Tony’s talking now, he’s very good at talking – lots of people want him to stop talking, usually. Talking to kids is different, and he’s not sure what to say.

Loki’s son seems to agree with it, though, as he nods. ‘’My father says we have to listen to you,’’ the child says. ‘’Even though our mother said that mortals are weak and pitiful. He says you’re better than normal mortals.’’

Tony grins weakly. ‘’I’m not sure about ‘better’,’’ he admits, ‘’but I guess I don’t qualify as normal, yeah. I can make things that other people can’t. Not even gods.’’

‘’Like a blacksmith?’’ the boy asks, his eyes lighting up.

Tony nods. ‘’Yeah, but even better than that. If your dad says it’s okay, we can go to my workshop sometimes, together with your brother, and I’ll show you. If you want to, of course.’’

Narvi is silent for a while. ‘’Yes,’’ he simply answers. ‘’Will he allow it? I do not know him very well.’’

‘’You’ll get to know him plenty,’’ Tony assures him. ‘’But you know he cares about you a lot, right? He wants you to be happy and safe.’’

‘’My mother says he is a bad man.’’

Tony doesn’t really know what to say to that. The boy doesn’t seem to care a lot either way – it seems to be an odd reaction, but then again, maybe he is just parroting his mother. Maybe he doesn’t _care_ , because he doesn’t know Loki yet. Tony determines to make sure these kids will know their father, in the end, to make sure that Loki gets back his boys in the way he deserves. Not just physically, but emotionally.

‘’Your father,’’ he starts, ‘’is not a bad man, but a complicated one. Everyone is, really. No one is always good, or always bad. But sometimes, people see only one side of things. Your mother says your father is bad, because she saw him do some things he should not have done, and now she doesn’t want to think about the good things he has done.’’

The child blinks at him. ‘’I do not think he is bad,’’ he says eventually. ‘’He was kind, today. Narvi says he is trying really hard. He gave me something called _ice cream_.’’

Tony laughs a bit, until the implications of the words hit him. ‘’Wait, you’re Vali?’’

Vali smiles, a sharp grin that makes him look a bit older. ‘’Yes.’’

‘’Does your dad know you’re talking now, apparently?’’

Vali shrugs. ‘’I did not know what to say.’’

Tony’s not sure if it’s acceptable to roll his eyes at kids, but whatever, Vali will have to learn how to deal with that. ‘’You’re going to have to talk to him eventually, right? He is your father, and I’m just, well –‘’

‘’Mr Stark?’’ the boy supplies, and apparently that’s what Loki has told them.

‘’Tony, to you,’’ he corrects. ‘’I’m just Tony. But your dad has missed you for a long time. And he wants to get to know you better. He loves you more than anything, and it’s not easy for him, you know.’’

He doesn’t know if it’s a good idea to talk about this with Loki’s child. Heck, he does not know if Vali even knows the implications of what he’s saying. It’s certainly not a good idea to burden a child with the feelings of the adults, and yet, he needs to know Loki’s sons are making an effort. He needs to know if they want to be here at all.

Vali is silent for a long while, but then he gets off the couch. ‘’I think we missed him, too,’’ Vali says. ‘’We always wanted to know our father. Thank you, Tony.’’

‘’You’re welcome,’’ Tony says, a bit dumbfounded. ‘’Where are you going?’’

‘’Back,’’ Vali shrugs. ‘’Tony?’’

‘’Yeah?’’

‘’Maybe you should learn how to tell me and my brother apart.’’

‘’I’ll work on that,’’ Tony says with a grin. Vali smiles at him, and then disappears the way he came.

Tony’s grin stays on his face, even after the child is gone. 

Maybe his family won’t come crashing down around him, after all. Maybe a pair of twins will only make it a bigger whole.

~*~

Loki joins him in bed, this time. Tony doesn’t say anything as he feels the bed dip and hears the rustle of the covers. Then cold feet are pressed against his calves, and Tony pulls away on instinct. He hears Loki’s laugh, so he turns, to silence him with a kiss.

They don’t say anything, for a while; Tony is content to just lay there, his head buried in Loki’s neck. The god seems to be of the same mind and breathes evenly, his lips pressed to Tony’s forehead. Tony does not remember when he falls asleep, but it’s a more peaceful rest than he’s had in quite a while.

~*~

‘’Question for a question.’’

‘’Are you – ugh, I’m awake, I’m awake. What time is it?’’

‘’Just over six in the morning. Now. Question for a question.’’

‘’Six in the – okay. Ask me.’’

‘’How did you get Vali to talk?’’

‘’I – uh, I didn’t. I thought he was Narvi, at first, because he was talking to me. He’s interested, though. He wanted to talk, but he said he didn’t know what to say to you. It will take them a time to get used to being here, I think.’’

‘’Interested in what?’’

‘’That’s a second question.’’

‘’Humour me, Tony.’’

‘’Yeah, yeah. I don’t know, exactly. Interested in being here? Interested in getting to know you? He’s told me some of the stuff you said to him – you know we can’t just letting them run around thinking I’m the only mortal guy worth listening to, right? Anyway, I told him he and his brother could come visit my workshop, if you agreed to it.’’

‘’Thank you for talking to him. Thank you for letting them stay – for working so hard to make sure they can stay. I owe you more than I can tell you.’’

‘’Hmm.’’

‘’Tony? Tony, it’s your turn. Two questions. Fair is fair, after all. Tony – you are sleeping, are you not? _Mortals_.’’

~*~

The next morning, Tony finds Loki quietly reading a book to his children in a language that Tony suspects is very much like Old Norse. He doesn’t interrupt, only watches as Narvi and Vali lean into their father a bit, their young faces interested in whatever Loki’s reading to them. Loki’s voice is low and alluring, tilting and falling with the syllables on the page, drawing in his small audience with captivating words and the voice of a masterful raconteur of tales.

He is a good father, Tony decides, and he deserves time to get to know his sons again. If Tony can help him with that, he will do it in any way he can.

If he, in any way, wishes he could sit beside Loki and watch the expressions on the boys’ faces change with the tides of the story, he ignores it and chooses to walk away instead.

~*~

The weeks roll by and it’s not uneventful – Tony puts in so much work to make sure the kids have a good room, and three meals a day, and can stay here legally without letting the media know about any of it – but it’s peaceful in a way it hasn’t been in a long time.

That does not mean there are no issues. They stick by Loki’s side, and the three of them grow ever closer, but Tony sees less and less of his lover. Tony is content to let them bond, for now, without him being there to demand any of their attention. It works well enough, for a while; Tony spends his days in the lab with Bruce and Peter, if he doesn’t have work to do for Stark Industries or making arrangements for the kids. He doesn’t see Thor or Valkyrie a lot, and he thinks the same goes for Bruce. It’s harder on his friend than on him, seeing how close he’s grown to the Asgardians.

‘’Do you even know what the Asgardians are doing?’’ Tony asks, as they’re in between experiments. He rolls up his sleeves, sagging against the wall.

Bruce looks at him, and then at Peter, who’s still calculating something. The kid isn’t paying attention in the slightest, his mouth slightly agape as he writes down numbers. Tony can’t help but smile at the sight of it.

‘’Val doesn’t tell me a lot,’’ Bruce answers honestly, ‘’but that’s because I think she doesn’t know all of it. Thor is a bit more forthcoming. They’re – well, they’re looking for a way to rebuild Asgard. They don’t mean to stay here forever, you know.’’

‘’Rebuild?’’ Tony asks sceptically. ‘’Make it appear out of thin air, or make a colony on another planet?’’

Bruce shrugs. ‘’They would prefer the first, I believe, or it wouldn’t have been so much of an issue. Maybe it would? I’m not sure what intergalactic policies are on migrating an entire people. Thing is, Thor is very tight-lipped about it. Hasn’t Loki mentioned anything to you?’’

Tony blinks. ‘’I haven’t talked to Loki in a couple of days. Why? He doesn’t seem to be very involved with whatever Thor’s planning.’’

That, in turns, makes Bruce raise his eyebrows. ‘’I’ve seen him with Thor a lot, the past few days. It was mostly when you were away, though, so maybe you haven’t seen it. His kids are always with him, Thor seems to like them a lot. They’re calling him ‘Uncle’, it’s very sweet. Are you sure Loki hasn’t said anything to you?’’

Tony shakes his head slowly. Narvi and Vali are bonding with Thor, and Loki’s doing something too, and he hadn’t known a single thing of it. ‘’Nothing.’’

Bruce sighs. ‘’Well, maybe they don’t want to bother you. You’ve been very busy, Tony, with all the arrangements for the Asgardians and the boys, and your day time job, and the work for the Avengers Initiative.’’

‘’You’ve been talking to Steve, haven’t you?’’ The thought of Steve doesn’t sting as much as it used to. Tony thinks he’ll never completely trust his former crush, but there’s a mutual agreement that goes unspoken. 

‘’Natasha, actually.’’ Bruce’s smile is a bit wry, but not unkind. ‘’They’re not happy with your conditions, Tony. They want it to go back to the way it was before, they think you’re being childish.’’

‘’They can take that up with me,’’ Tony answers, still keeping an eye on Peter. ‘’Or rather, with my lawyers. It can't go back to how it was, Bruce, it’ll never be the same. I’m not going to drop everything I have here just to come back running to the Avengers Compound.’’

‘’I’m not asking that of you, I’m just telling you what Natasha said to me,’’ Bruce says firmly. ‘’I’m your friend, Tony.’’

‘’You don’t know how it was,’’ Tony sighs. ‘’During the battle. Immediately afterwards. I’m not the Avengers’ babysitter, Bruce – and you know that’s how it was. I’m the one who paid for all of it, who cleaned up the messes, who handled the PR, and in turn I received lies and backstabbing.’’

Bruce looks at him for a long time. ‘’It’s not always all on them, Tony. They had some reasonable doubts – you’re not completely in the right, you know.’’

‘’Of course I’m not!’’ Tony shouts. ‘’Am I ever? I know I fucked up, Bruce, but I reserve the right to claim that they fucked up much worse than I did, this time! I’ve done a lot of work to make sure they can come back, I’ve put in hours and hours to make sure they aren’t thrown in jail, I made sure they could live in the Avengers Compound, I talk to Steve and Vision a lot to make sure everything is going smoothly! And now I’m being childish? Just because I don’t want to _see_ them right now? It doesn’t matter if I’m wrong or right, Bruce. I just want to spend my time with people who actually _care_.’’

Even Peter’s looking at him now, and Tony didn’t want to make a scene. He just shakes his head and turns back to the lab. Their experiment is still lying there, still and forgotten, and Tony’s hands shake when he goes to pick it up.

‘’I’m done with the calculations,’’ Peter announces, and it’s obvious that he just wants to divert the attention from what happened before. ‘’Tony, could you check if I’ve done it right?’’

Tony puts it down again, before turning to his protégée with a small smile. ‘’Show me,’’ he says.

‘’I’m sure you did fine, Peter,’’ Bruce mutters as if it’s an apology. He brushes past Tony when he goes to take another pad, and Tony knows they’re fine. Bruce misses the past as much as he does, back when the Avengers were more of a family than whatever broken thing they are today, but Bruce wasn’t there when the break happened. He’s not even sure Bruce would actually have been on his side, considering the part Ross played in it all. The point is that Tony is fuelled by hurt and heartbreak, and Bruce… isn’t. He hasn’t been hurt as much as Tony, and that’s something he should feel better about than he does.

None of them bring up either the Asgardians or the Avengers again.

~*~

Tony does not forget a lot of things. He may be forgetful about some stuff, like food and getting dressed, but his mind can recall some things with the utmost clarity. 

As he goes up to the kitchen, after a long and tiring day in R&D, he remembers that it has been three days that he’s seen Loki, and five since he last saw the children. That’s why it’s such a surprise to see them all sitting there, eating spaghetti with Thor as if it’s the most ordinary thing on the planet.

‘’Hi,’’ he says, and he also remembers his conversation with Bruce about the Asgardians. He remembers Loki talking about speaking with Heimdall, when the children had come for the very first night.

He feels a bit miserable, as the gods look up in surprise to see him. ‘’Tony,’’ Loki says. ‘’I did not know you were going to be joining us.’’

He feels a stab of anger, at that, but lets it die down before he starts shouting. He’s already spent the day being followed around by a bunch of developers with questions that Tony could’ve answered when he was five years old, without having a minute to himself to even eat something. Last night, he’d slept alone and had woken up multiple times because of nightmares. He’s tired, hungry and annoyed.

‘’I’m not,’’ he says maybe a bit sharper than intended. ‘’Don’t let me bother you with whatever you’re doing, I’ll just go order some Chinese and work on… something. Anything. I’m sure there’s a load of work lying around somewhere.’’

No one follows after him, and maybe that hurts most of all.

~*~

‘’Boss,’’ FRIDAY alerts him. Tony shoots up, feeling a paper stick to his face. He rips it off, blinking at it tiredly.

‘’What time is it?’’ he asks, voice rough. He fell asleep during his paperwork – well, at least Pepper won’t be able to complain about him not doing this tedious part of his job. Or about him not sleeping.

‘’It’s two in the morning. Your presence is required in the kitchen.’’

Tony narrows his eyes, running a hand over his face and feeling more tired than he has in ages. ‘’Dangerous?’’ he asks. He doesn’t feel like suiting up, but he hardly gets to pick his moments.

Fortunately, though, FRIDAY answers in the negative, and Tony stands up. The kitchen is only two minutes away, which gives him enough time to wake up a bit. When he gets there, though, it’s not exactly what he thought he would encounter. He doesn’t even know what he expected.

Definitely not Loki, sitting there with two steaming cups of coffee in front of him. ‘’Tony,’’ Loki just says, and something like hope lilts at his voice.

Tony sits down, eyeing the coffee a bit suspiciously. ‘’What are you doing?’’ he says.

Loki shrugs. ‘’What I need to do. I’ve been neglecting you, the past few weeks.’’

‘’You were busy with your sons,’’ Tony says.

‘’Yes. So were you. And busy with your work and experiments. I do not mean to make your life any harder than it has to be, Tony, but it seems like once again I manage to do what I do not intend to do. I give my time to other causes than you, but it’s not because I do not care.’’

‘’Why, then?’’ Tony asks. ‘’You owe me two, questions, remember? You’re doing something with Thor, and it involves Narvi and Vali, and you’re not involving me. In fact, you seem to be mainly ignoring me. I know you need time with your sons, but they’re attached to you at the hip now, it seems. I need to know what you’re up to, Loki.’’

‘’Are those your questions?’’ Loki says slowly. ‘’Why I give my time to other causes, and what they are?’’

‘’Yeah. Yeah, those are my questions.’’

Loki takes a deep breath. ‘’I’ve been consulting with Heimdall on the situation in Alfheim. It seems to be rather serious; many have been slaughtered by a race that is specialized in warfare. They are very dangerous, and now Asgard is no longer capable of protecting the Nine Realms, it seems this race is intent on adding new planets to their own empire. Thor, naturally, wants to help. We have been searching for a way to restore Asgard as soon as possible, because we can’t help from here. We are refugees, now, and Thor merely a king without a kingdom. We need a solution, and with haste. You are – Tony, you have been my rock since I’ve been here. I do not think you even realize the extent of what you mean to me, and I’ve been afraid to let you know. I do not want to burden you with the future of Asgard, because you already _saved_ Asgard by letting us stay. You, my love, are entirely too helpful for your own good. I can see the exhaustion in your eyes by the load of what you already carry, and I do not mean to add to it. Even rocks can crumble, Tony, and I will refuse to let that happen to you.’’

Tony is silent for a while. ‘’It’s not up to you to decide what I know or not,’’ he then says. ‘’If I can help you, or Thor, or Asgard in general, you know I want to.’’

‘’I will not allow you to work yourself to death.’’

‘’I already am,’’ Tony says humourlessly. ‘’Loki, I know I’m a busy man. I always make time for you, though, and for Peter, and I would for your kids if I ever had a chance to see them. Because you, the people I care for, that’s the reason I _do_ this, all of it. I have one more question.’’

‘’We agreed on two.’’

‘’Humour me,’’ Tony echoes from that night a few weeks ago, and Loki huffs but lets him. ‘’Are you going to leave? If Thor manages to rebuild Asgard and you can save the Nine Realms, are you going to go with him?’’

Loki is silent for a while. Tony drinks his coffee, in the meanwhile, because he’s not going to be able to sleep for a while anyway. No use in letting perfectly good coffee go to waste. He’s almost finished his cup when Loki starts speaking. ‘’Narvi and Vali are my highest priority,’’ he begins. ‘’I have not made the same oath to the Nine Realms that Thor has, as a king. I do not _have_ to go – not ever, and certainly not indefinitely. However, I suspect Thor will ask me to help him.’’

‘’And you will say yes.’’ It’s not a question, because it’s not a thing that is in question at all.

Loki nods carefully. ‘’If Thor asks, I will answer if I can. He has earned that much, at least. But I think that after, I will come back. I will, Tony.’’

Tony does not answer as he watches the mug that is still in between his hands. The warmth of the coffee lingers, even as a cold feeling spreads through him at the thought of Loki leaving. _It’s not forever_ , he tells himself. But not forever can be long enough. Coming back doesn’t mean he never left.

It’s a lesson Tony has learnt all too well. Things change, and families get broken. Loki makes no promises for the future, and he does not apologize for the past, but there’s a thousand other things in his words to comfort Tony.

It does not help.

~*~

They never say it. They know it’s true for both of them, and yet the words themselves never come out. It’s always something different – _I owe you more than I can tell you, I always make time for you, I can’t allow you to work yourself to death, I will come back. Question for a question, so better make it a good one. Do you like me, or do you like the idea of me?_

_I like the real you._

If they don’t say it, they cannot be hurt. If Loki leaves, that’s just bad luck. If Tony pulls away, well, that’s just to be expected. They don’t love each other, after all; they’re just interested in each other, pulled in by quick wit and high intellect and nightly coffee dates. If they don’t say it, it’s not real.

Tony knows his heart, and hides it away far enough to fool himself.

That does not help, either.

~*~

The next morning, nothing is different and everything is. Tony wakes on the couch. Loki isn’t there anymore, but a young boy is standing in front of him, sharp brown eyes and dark hair. ‘’Vali?’’ he asks. The boy only nods.

‘’We had a deal,’’ the boy says quickly, as if he’s afraid Tony will stop him before he gets the words out. ‘’I could wake you, and in turn we would talk.’’

‘’Yeah, I remember,’’ Tony says, sitting up and wincing at the pain in his neck. Not a good sleeping position. ‘’Why are you waking me? Are you alright?’’

‘’I had a bad dream,’’ Vali murmurs.

Tony pats the seat next to him, and Loki’s son gets the clue as he climbs on it, sitting next to Tony. ‘’Want to tell me about it, or just want to forget about it?’’ he asks. He’s not unfamiliar with nightmares, obviously. It’s easy to forget that Vali and Narvi were ripped away from their mother and sent here for their safety, with how effortlessly they’re learning to fit in. Tony is surprised he hasn’t heard about nightmares earlier – well, maybe not. Tony hasn’t spent as much time with Loki’s children as he might have liked, after all. He chooses not to question why Vali comes to him now.

The kid shrugs. ‘’Forget about it.’’

‘’Alright,’’ Tony says, an idea forming in his mind. ‘’Hey, you wanted to see my workshop, right? You’re up for that, right now?’’

It’s not a surprise to see the kid nodding excitedly.

~*~

Loki and Narvi come to find them, come morning. Loki doesn’t seem surprised to find them; Tony suspects FRIDAY updated him to the situation as soon as Vali came to find him. It’s kind of flattering that Loki let him handle his son, if he stops to think about it. It’s not as if Tony is an expert on how to handle kids, even though it’d worked out all for the better.

‘’Narvi!’’ Vali cries out as soon as he sees his twin enter. His eyes are bright and his smile easy, and Tony prides himself on it, for some reason. The wonders of his workshop have not yet failed to make anyone who sees it more upbeat, and it’s good to know he still manages to impress people. Even gods, apparently.

Loki hands Tony another cup of coffee, wordlessly, as Vali babbles to Narvi about everything Tony has shown him. Loki just seems amused, while Narvi’s eyes grow wider as he follow his brother around.

‘’You’re good with Vali,’’ Loki murmurs to Tony, as Tony takes his first sip.

Tony shrugs. ‘’He’s just like any other kid, really. Maybe he and Narvi can stay a while longer? I haven’t even shown him half of it, and he seems really excited.’’

Loki looks at him. ‘’He’s not just _any other kid_ ,’’ he says, but it’s more amused than anything else. Not like a parent ready to barge into a teacher’s room to explain why exactly their kid is better than anyone else’s, but like it’s a fact of the world. ‘’He’s a son of the royals of Asgard and Alfheim. A prince of two realms, and a possible heir to the throne of both.’’

Tony scoffs. ‘’Crown prince?’’

Loki’s lips tilt. ‘’Not in the sense of the word you mean, but yes. It’s not the eldest, you know, who has to bear the crown. It’s the most capable one. Which is why I was always surprised that Thor was picked to be king, obviously. As Thor has not fathered any children as far as I’m aware – no legal ones, in any case – and I am still his brother in any official capability, the option falls to either Narvi or Vali. Not that I expect Thor won’t have any children, mind you. They are still princes, though, and definitely not _any other_ kids.’’

They both look over as something crashes. ‘’It wasn’t me!’’ Narvi cries out, and Tony ignores the fact that he somehow can tell the twins apart now. He doesn’t know how or why, considering they still look very much alike, but it probably has to do with the way they hold themselves. Narvi is more sociable, more eager – Vali is curious but holds himself back more, preferring to regard the situation first. 

‘’Liar!’’ Vali says, and then it becomes a heated debate on who knocked over who first and Loki has to intervene before it turns into a real fight.

‘’Right,’’ Tony notes wryly. ‘’Not like any other kids. Got it.’’

Loki only sends him an annoyed look, and Tony can’t help but grin.

~*~

From then on, the twins become more of a daily part of Tony’s life. They visit him in the workshop, and they eat with him when they can. Tony gets updated on the options of rebuilding Asgard – they don’t make sense to him, but he appreciates being kept in the loop, and he mostly stays out of Thor’s way. Of course he wants to help, but it’s not as if Tony knows an awful lot about rebuilding planets or colonies or whatever the plan is. He walks in on more than one heated debate between Thor, Heimdall and Loki on it, and promptly proceeds to walk out of them too.

An unanticipated upside those debates is that Tony gets to babysit the twins when Loki is involved. Vali has made a habit of sitting next to Tony, almost leaning in against them. In this, Narvi holds back more, still wary of the mortal that is ‘’courting’’ their father (Tony tried to explain the concept of dating, but this seemed to be one of the things about Earth the twins don’t understand fully. In any case, it’s not as if Tony himself has bothered to label his relationship with Loki, and telling his kids about it seemed more serious than either of them have been so far. However, they’re kids, they’re not blind, and they deserve to know what’s up. So Loki told them he’s courting Tony, Tony tried to explain the concept of dating, and the twins seem to understand that there is at least something romantically going on between them, which is good enough for Tony).

One of the things Tony had not realized before all of this was that they were going to have to meet Peter one day. Especially now Peter hangs around the tower more and more.

He finds Peter sitting in the workshop with Bruce when he trots in with a pair of princely brothers at his heels. ‘’Oh, hey,’’ he says when he sees them.

‘’Hi, Tony,’’ Peter says. Bruce mumbles something, possibly a greeting, more probably an equation he’s trying to solve. Tony knows better than to try to get through to his friend when he’s like this. 

‘’Since when have you been here?’’ Tony asks. ‘’Not that you’re not welcome, I just thought you’d be in school.’’

Peter blinks. ‘’It’s Saturday. I’m free.’’

‘’The youth of these days,’’ Tony jokes, ‘’All play, no work. Hey, did I ever introduce you to Vali and Narvi? They’re Loki’s little terrors.’’ 

Peter doesn’t answer, but crouches and smiles at the twins. ‘’Hi. I’m Peter,’’ he says, and holds out his hand. Narvi, bold as he is, takes it and shakes it, like Tony has taught him.

‘’Are you another mortal?’’ he asks, just as Vali appears from behind Tony to also regard the teenager. 

‘’Yep,’’ Peter says, not bothered in the least. ‘’Very mortal. So, you’re gods, right?’’

‘’Baby gods,’’ Tony corrects him. ‘’Not very godly.’’

‘’But we are!’’ Narvi says, huffing. He looks as disgruntled as he can at this age, which is to say, not very at all. Tony thinks it’s rather cute, but mentioning that would only make it worse.

Tony ruffles the boy’s black hair. ‘’No one that still eats with their mouth open can be called a proper god, Narvi. Baby gods it is, until you learn not to spill half your breakfast.’’

Narvi glares at him, but doesn’t deem it worthy of a comment. ‘’Are you Tony’s son?’’ Vali asks, and Peter blinks at him.

‘’No,’’ he manages, a blush creeping into his cheeks. ‘’No, but he’s a mentor to me. Like, he teaches me stuff. He helps me when I’m in trouble, and he makes sure I’m healthy and happy. Mostly, at least.’’

Vali and Narvi seem to accept that explanation, and take to Peter surprisingly easy. They quickly abandon Tony and his suits to follow around Peter, asking him for explanations and anecdotes. Peter doesn’t seem to mind, though, and he’s surprisingly sweet, so Tony doesn’t mind. He still has an eye on things, but Peter is more interesting to them for now.

Right up to the moment that Peter is sticking to the walls, and Tony comes out of a science funk because he hears the twins cheering him on. He can’t bring himself to scold Peter as Vali comes running to him saying that Peter is the most extraordinary mortal ever (Tony whole-heartedly agrees, to Peter’s eternal bewilderment), and Narvi starts asking questions too rapid to keep up with.

~*~

It’s – well, it’s great, Tony decides. There’s a movie playing on the screen, more of a background noise as it’s being ignored in favour of more precious sights. It’s not a very interesting flick, anyway, as it follows the standard plot of a father keeping his family safe from some enemies he made in his past as a spy. He would think directors would get some sort of original ideas, after a while, but maybe he’s wrong about that.

It’s great, though, because everyone is here. Vali is leaning against Tony, his mouth open and his nose wriggling as he’s absorbed in a dream. Narvi, in turn, is fast asleep on Loki’s lap, breathing loudly even if it can’t be quite called snoring yet. Even Peter’s there; the twins had insisted on him staying over, and even the teenager had submitted to the call of sleep, his head lolling where he sits on the far side of the couch. 

‘’Well,’’ Loki says dryly. ‘’I have a feeling this is the first of many times this might happen.’’

‘’I don’t mind,’’ Tony answers. It’s the opposite, in fact. ‘’This is cosy. If I’d known the twins would like Peter this much, I would have introduced them a lot sooner.’’

Loki hums. ‘’Are you sure? I imagine they will get up to a lot of trouble sooner rather than later.’’

‘’Is that such a bad thing? Narvi and Vali have been really well-behaved, so far, for kids their age. Lord knows Peter isn’t such a troublesome kid. A little mischief has never hurt anyone.’’

Tony looks up to see Loki grinning a bit too roguishly at that. ‘’Well…’’

‘’I think your idea of mischief exceeds mine,’’ Tony tells him, but can’t help but smile in return. ‘’Who knows, maybe this is exactly what they need. Peter’s an only kid, and Vali and Narvi could use a big brother to show them the ropes on Earth, maybe. At the very least, he’ll be a good babysitter.’’

They don’t mention what would happen if Loki leaves, and inadvertently takes his sons with him. They don’t talk about a new Asgard, and Tony and Peter staying behind. They don’t talk about any of that, and Tony knows he has to take these things into account, but he can’t be bothered.

Not now. Not while their three kids are soundly asleep and Loki and Tony are here to guard over all of them.

For now, Tony can be content and not worry about what is to come.

**Author's Note:**

> I meant to put in a lot more plot but then Tony started angsting a bit too much and it turned into 7k without any actual plot being there, so I decided to continue like that. oh well.
> 
> I'm quite fond of this series, and I've got some ideas I'd really like to work out, but I'd love to hear what you guys want to see! The next one is probably going to be from Loki's POV, but do you guys want to see more of a certain relationship? Or a fic from someone else's perspective? I'm open for suggestions! Hopefully the next part won't take me as long.


End file.
